Paratriathlete Lauren Parker wins Women in Sport award for world title comeback
It’s been a year to remember for Newcastle’s Lauren Parker and the awards — and accolades — just keep coming.
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It’s been a big year for Lauren Parker and the accolades continue with the Newcastle triathlete claiming Comeback of the Year at the Women in Sport (WinS) Awards in Sydney on Wednesday night.
Parker, returning to the international arena after a number of health issues and setbacks, remarkably claimed two gold medals in the space of sevens days in an extraordinary purple patch on the racetrack.
Just two years after taking up paratriathlon, the Newcastle athlete won a world title and then raced to a World Cup victory in the space of a week.
Parker, who broke her back in a high-speed training accident in 2017 and now races in a wheelchair and hand cycle, also claimed a bronze medal at the Paralympic test event in Tokyo the same month.
Parker’s feats were honoured at the ninth annual Women In Sport (WinS) Awards in Sydney.
Also honoured was Paralympic CEO and Canterbury Bulldogs chair Lynne Anderson with the Person of Sporting Influence award.
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Tennis gun Ash Barty claimed the Women’s Health Sportswoman of the Year title and also the Moment of the Year Award for her spectacular French Open win in June.
“I’m very fortunate to be nominated among so many other empowering women in Australian sport and to come away with the win is a bonus,’’ said Barty via a video link.
The 23-year-old became the first Australian since Yvonne Goolagong to win a singles grand slam at Roland Garros in 46 years, making her only the third Aussie woman ever to top the world tennis rankings.
Netballer Liz Ellis was recognised with the coveted Hall of Fame Award, joining the likes of Goolagong Cawley (2018), Betty Cuthbert (2017), Layne Beachley (2016) and Susie O’Neill (2015) as an inductee.
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Australian cricket captain Meg Lanning claimed the leadership award and the national women’s cricket side the A-team of the Year for being the current No. 1 in both One Day International rankings and T20 Internationals.
WINNERS LIST
Women’s Health Sportswoman of the Year — Ash Barty, Tennis
Moment of the Year — Ash Barty, Tennis
A-team of the Year — Australian Women’s Cricket Team
Comeback of the Year — Lauren Parker, Paratriathlon
Hall of Fame — Liz Ellis, Netball
Person of Sporting Influence — Lynne Anderson, Chair, Bulldogs NRL, and CEO, Paralympics Australia
Local Sporting Champion — Lucy Grills, Polocrosse
Leadership Legend — Meg Lanning, Cricket
One to Watch — Lani Pallister, Swimming
Federal Government Award for Outstanding Woman in Sport — Hannah Green, Golf
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